Stay
by LokiThisIsMadness
Summary: "They say that it's the things we love most that destroy us." For Sophia.


_**Maybe you think that you can hide **_

_**I can smell your scent from miles**_

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><p>The first time he sees her, Tancred is impressed.<p>

He is watching the reapings alongside with his district partner, the useless volunteer, and he can't stop but wonder how she could be so beautiful. He wanted her right there.

He would have her, because Tancred Toscano loved his challenges. And Beatrix Callas would surely be difficult.

Tancred would never admit that he feel in love with her right there.

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><p><em><strong>So if I run it's not enough <strong>_

_**You're still in my head **_

_**Forever stuck**_

Tancred has no idea of why he is so nervous when they see each other at the chariot rides. She's beautiful, honestly, she's gorgeous.

While looking at her, Tancred remembers the promise that he made to Talisa. That he would come back for her, alive and a Victor. But then there's Beatrix, the girl he doesn't know anything about, but he feels more connected to her than he ever did with Talisa.

It's almost like they were written in the starts. For a moment, Tancred was glad that he didn't volunteer last year like he was supposed to. He broke his arm in the day before the reaping, so Merrell Aiken had to take his place.

In that horrible arena. With a stupid excuse for a Career Pack. And know he was here. The District Seven tribute in the 102nd Hunger Games. With her.

Yes, they were surely written in the stars.

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><p>It's a shame 22 of them had to die. Tancred actually likes some of the other Careers. Not his district partner, Kiera, because she would surely be dead as soon as the Games started. Not Fabian, because the way he looked at Beatrix made Tancred want to snap his neck as soon as the gong sounded. Not Styx, who was an arrogant son of a bitch.<p>

Cadette was his only true friend in there, so far. She wasn't as cocky as her district partner, there was something humble about her when she told Tancred about the family she left behind. If Beatrix wasn't in there, he would make sure Cadette was the one that won with him. She deserved to get home. More than some of them, anyway.

Later that day, he decides to talk to her. To learn more about her, like he did with Cadette.

"My son, Tate." That's what she answers when he asks who is the most important person to her.

In that second, he decides he'll kill the other 22 himself if it means she'll get back to her boy. He doesn't want that boy to grow up like he did. Without a father.

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><p>He gets to know when they train together, throwing knives and spears and fighting back to back with the trainers. He learns that she got pregnant at 16, a few years later after she moved into her brother's house. Bea refuses to tell him who was the father, thought.<p>

He doesn't want to know, either. If he doesn't know, Tancred can pretend that he doesn't see himself in that 2 year old boy, after his father abandoned his mother and their son. He knows that If they make it out, he'll take that boy as his own son.

Family is everything, after all.

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><p><em><strong>So you can do what you wanna do<strong>_

_**I love your lies, I'll eat 'em up**_

Their first kiss isn't as he expected. Tancred always thought that he would be the one to make the first move, the first kiss, not her.

When Tancred tells her that he thinks he's in love with her, Beatrix kisses him. It was sweet, but it was over before Tancred could decide if it was better than what he thought or not.

Beatrix winks at him and turns to leave, leaving Tancred grinning like an idiot.

So that is what it feels like to be in love.

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><p>At the night of training day 3, Tancred is taken by suprise. She appears at the District 7 floor at exactly 2 am in the morning, her hair messy and her eyes red. When Tancred asks what happened, she shakes her head.<p>

"It's better if you don't know. We can't mess with him, Tanc. Or the Capitol will take it out on us."

He tries to think of someone that could hurt her, do that to her but he comes up with no answer. He lets her into his bed, wondering if this peace would be gone once they reached the Games.

When Tancred wakes up in the next morning and she's gone, Tancred knows the answer.

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><p>They share the same bed again once the interviews are over. There's not much left to say, anyway. Tancred knows that he has nothing to fear and neither does she. But yet, he can't say that he isn't a bit afraid. He has seen Careers die in the bloodbath before, so it could happen. They had nothing to fear from the other Career Pack, but there were some strong tributes in the Games.<p>

They could both be dead tomorrow.

But right now, they had each other. That was all that mattered.

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><p><em><strong>Baby I'm preying on you tonight <strong>_

_**Hunt you down eat you alive**_

The first time he makes love to her, Tancred can't imagine how it could be any better than that. It's late in the arena and they are alone, so he couldn't resist. The thoughts of all the other girls, of Talisa, seemed all useless now. All he wanted was her.

He wanted to start a family with her once they won, to be normal for once. He wanted to meet her son, the boy that she talked so much about.

As he takes Bea in his arms and kisses her forehead, Tancred is at peace.

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><p>They say that it's the things that we love the most that destroy us.<p>

Tancred doesn't understand that until she dies. One moment, they are fighting against Fabian, her district partner and in the other, her cannon fires.

He doesn't understand it at first. He keeps staring at her body, until he feels a sharp pain in his chest. Tancred doesn't fight it, anyway. He falls next to her and takes her hand in his.

"I love you, Bea."

The cannon fires.

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><p>Years later, 19 year old Tate visits his mother's grave after he won. He can't help but wonder if she really loved that man.<p>

**Beatrix Callas, Female tribute in the 102nd.**

**Deceased.**

**Beloved Mother, Daughter and Sister.**

**We miss you.**

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><p><strong>AN: **Animals by Marron 5.

Hope you like this, Sophia. Tancred is owned by nevergone4ever and Beatrix is mine. They are characters in "Kept Under Lock and Key: 102nd Hunger Games."


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